Grasshopper New Media Presents...

Recently, we were walking through one of our neighborhood parks, and we saw a little league game. Our son loves to watch people play sports, so he immediately wandered over to the fence and sat down. It didn’t matter that a playground was calling to him 40 yards away; he just wanted to […]

I’ve been talking with my sister-in-law about the concept of over-negotiating. My kids have been compromising and negotiating since long before they ever peed in a potty. They’ve been listened to and validated and respected and they have grown into skilled negotiators. Sometimes I think they should have shirts made that […]

When I first had my baby, my well-meaning grandmother asked how he was sleeping through the night.  At the time, we were having trouble getting him on a day-night schedule.  The silly boy thought that the hours of 10pm until 3am were the hours he was supposed to be awake, alert, and loved.
It was a […]

Lately we have been having trouble with our older son (OS).  He hasn’t wanted to go to preschool.  No it’s not because he doesn’t like it.  It’s because he’s convinced that his younger brother is doing lots of fun activities while he is there.  We tried the advice of friends and explained that pour younger […]

As a child, I would ask my Dad what words meant, and he would always say, “Look it up in the dictionary.” “Just tell me!” I would wail, because I knew he could tell me the definition off the top of his head. After all, he had gone to college, to law […]

It seems that going Green is all the rage now, so when I saw Dr. Alan Greene’s new book about green child-rearing, I thought I would take a look at it.
The book is wealth of information.  It takes you from pregnancy to early childhood, giving parents tips on how to reduce their wastefulness, protect their […]

Poop, pacifier and bed: the three things killing me right now.
O.k., so they’re not killing me, exactly, they’re just the three things that are ruling my household right now, and at least once a day I question if I’m being smart or dumb in taking all three on at once.
First, the pacifier. We’ve been battling […]

Stu’s on vacation this week, so here’s an oldie but a goodie for those who might miss him:
I created a parenting concept for our house, and those I’ve shared it with have asked that I share it more often. I want you all to know that this is something that I feel strongly about, and […]

If only babies came with manuals and toddlers came with warranties.
That terrible whining noise that my two-year-old is making should definitely be enough to send him back to the manufacturer, if one existed.  I take comfort in knowing that this is just a phase.  That’s what people keep telling me, at least.
There’s a relatively new […]

A typical day with Max now includes a minimum of 30 tantrums, staunch refusals to use the potty, and so much whining I want to stab my eardrums out.
At almost-three, this child of mine is asserting himself in all that he does. He is fiercely independent, maddeningly stubborn - an amplified version of all he […]